Henry was not a companion to her. His intellect was lower, his
education had not been of the same order, and he had not the manly
force of character that makes up for everything in a woman's eyes.
Where she had talents, he had pretensions--just enough to make his
judgments both conceited and irritating; and where her deeper
thoughts and higher aspirations were concerned, she met either a
blank or a growing jealousy of the influence of the clergy and of the
May family.

Yet Henry Ward was really a good brother, sacrificing much to his
orphan sisters, and living a moral and religious life--such as gained
for him much credit, and made Mrs. Ledwich congratulate Averil on the
great excellence and kindness of her incomparable brother.

Averil assented, and felt it a dreary thing to have an incomparable
brother.

But when Leonard came home, the face of the house was changed. Now
she had something to look forward to. Now there was something to
hear that stirred her deeper feelings--some one who would understand
and respond--some one to make common cause with. Little as she saw
of the schoolboy, there was life in her day, for sympathy and
comprehension had come home with him.

After all, there were recesses in Leonard's confidence to which Ave
did not penetrate; but there was quite enough to be very happy upon,
especially those visions that had been built on the Melanesian
letters. They were not near enough to terrify her with the thought
of separation, and she was sufficiently imbued with Mary May's